Mumbai: The Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court that it had disbursed Rs 2,500 crore to farmers who were hit by unseasonal hailstorm in several districts of the state early this year.

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This was informed by state government pleader Milind More to a bench headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah which kept the matter for admission on August 21. The court was hearing a petition filed by two farmers from Solapur seeking a direction to the Centre and the state government to disburse relief to farmers hit by unseasonal hailstorm in March.

The bench had earlier suggested that the government should deposit the compensation amount to farmers in their respective bank accounts on the basis of Aadhar cards. The petitioners argued that several farmers who do not have bank accounts are still in the lurch. The central government had informed the court earlier that it had approved Rs 865 crore as relief, out of which Rs 685 crore has already been released.